Completing The Circle
by Enhas
Summary: Once the circle was complete, they would be one.  A very different sort of story involving Merlin and Morgause, and how their lives ultimately entwined together by fate and magic.  Grey!Morgause, and NO Merlin/Morgause or any other pairings.
1. Merlin

Note: This story has spoilers up to _The Crystal Cave_ in Series 3, and is AU from that point on and for another obvious reason. This is a (very) weird idea that I've never read before, and as it sprang into my head I just had to write it down.

* * *

"And thus, the mighty warlock of prophecy, _Emrys_, is about to fall. Everything is happening as it should."

Morgause's words chilled him to the very bone. Somehow, she had discovered that he was a sorcerer and with the aid of Morgana kidnapped him from his room as he slept.

Uther Pendragon was very ill and was not expected to survive more than a few days, and there was no known cure for what was ailing him, magical or otherwise. Arthur had not left his bedside throughout, and Merlin felt genuinely sorry for him. While he had no fond feelings for the King, his son was about to lose his father and he knew from experience just how much that hurt.

Before the end of that week, Arthur would be the new ruler of Camelot, and everything Merlin had striven for over the years would finally come to pass.

Or at least it would have, if he hadn't been captured and most likely soon would also be put to death.

It was ironic that they dragged him to the same place where he had nearly met his end years before, and if the Dragon hadn't saved him from the Serkets he would still be there, albeit as a pile of bleached bones. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he was completely paralyzed by some sort of spell which must have been very powerful. Morgause wasn't playing around this time, and unless he escaped from there quickly he was sure to die.

Merlin had always thought it odd that Morgause didn't just kill him outright then, when it was well within her power to do so. Instead, it was almost as if she had left him in a situation that she had _known_ he'd escape from.

If his entire body hadn't been numb, his eyebrows would have certainly raised at that. _She always knew about me! But none of this makes any sense!_

"Everything makes sense, Merlin, at least to me. I can finally rest, and the truth can come out once all of this is over. The circle is soon to be completed. And to answer what you would have asked me if you could speak: I can't read your mind, but I _know_ your mind."

Morgana didn't understand what had gotten into her sister all of a sudden for her to start speaking that way, or indeed her recent actions. While she hated Merlin, who had once been one of her most trusted friends until he had ultimately betrayed her by nearly taking her life with poison, Morgause had always been indifferent towards him. Often, she would discourage her from trying to eliminate him from Camelot, for no other reason than the supposed fact that he could be useful in the future, despite his murder attempt and constant foiling of their plans to destroy Uther.

Sometimes one or both sisters nearly succeeded in killing him, but he always managed to cheat death over and over again.

Morgause had been glad when hearing news of Uther's illness, almost giddy, and Morgana was excited as well. Soon they would be free to practice magic as they saw fit, as well as many others. There would be no more hiding or brutal suffering from the citizens of Camelot once the new ruler took over.

Morgana always knew in her heart that, despite her parentage, she would never be Queen of Camelot. Arthur would be King, and Gwen his Queen, and as much as she hurt both of them (she attempted to kill the former on more than one occasion, before she came to her senses), she accepted this and was looking forward to their coronation. Surprisingly, Morgause also agreed, saying that Arthur was a much better man than his father.

Morgana thought that statement to be especially odd, coming from her sister, but she asked no questions.

And not long after that, seemingly out of nowhere, Morgause told her that Merlin was a sorcerer and that they needed to get rid of him. A _sorcerer_. Having long wanted revenge against him, she hastily agreed, and after sneaking into his room and magically transporting him out of Camelot (with the help of Morgause, since she still did not have the required skill to do such a feat of magic yet herself), she stood witness at what would soon be the execution of her second most hated enemy.

"I want to be the one to do this. Look at him, he is so helpless... just as I was!" said Morgana, glaring at Merlin with an evil smirk.

"No, it has to be me. He is very powerful, Morgana, but I can feel my own magic increasing every moment that now passes, that which was denied me until now. Soon, it will be time, and he will be gone." replied Morgause, and touched Morgana's cheek lightly with her fingertips. "I know how confused you must be right now, and I hope so very much that you will not despise me once this is all over."

"How could I ever do such a thing? You are the only true family I have, as I would never acknowledge Uther and it is best if Arthur never knows of our relation... of his father's infidelity. I love you!"

Morgana hugged her sister tightly and rested her head in her chest, sobbing. Morgause couldn't stop the flow of her own tears either, and said: "I love you too, dear sister, and I always will. No matter what you ever think of me."

Through all of this, Merlin was soundly confused and at the same time, very afraid. At Morgause's comments of her power increasing, he knew that she was not telling a lie, for he could _feel_ it radiating off the blond woman. It was oddly familiar.

Letting go of her sister, Morgause moved much closer to him, kneeling down as to be at the same eye level. Brown met blue for what seemed to be hours, yet only a few seconds had passed.

She took one of his hands in her own, and despite being paralyzed, could feel her. He could feel the heat and sweat upon her hand, the same feeling from one being very nervous at what they were about to do. But what stood out even more was her power... by now, it was comparable to his very own. Not that Morgause had by any means ever been a weak sorceress, but now she was something to be _feared_.

He realized, with sheer horror, what she had been doing all along since the first moment she cursed him: She was draining his magic, stealing it from his very soul! He tried with all his physical and magical (what was left of it) might to break free, but to no avail.

She looked at him again, and her eyes flashed a very bright gold, much different than her usual darker shade.

"I'm sorry for this, Merlin. But it has to be this way, you will soon understand why. I'm so sorry."

Moments later, a white light emerged from Merlin before fading away, and his body collapsed upon the ground, eyes wide and unblinking.

Merlin was dead.

* * *

Darkness.

Then a bright light.

_What... what happened? Where am I?_

The last thing he remembered, Morgause had been holding his hand and apologizing for what she was doing. Merlin didn't know why she would have shown such compassion against one who had been among her greatest adversaries.

Merlin's eyes were closed, but he could feel a softness pressing into his back. He was obviously in a bed of some kind, from what he could tell, and most obviously was _not_ dead. Everything that had happened was just a nightmare, he figured, but a very _strange_ one. He infrequently had strange dreams, but none so vivid as the one he had just experienced, and certainly none involving Morgause.

Opening his eyes, he gazed upon a stone ceiling. Since ceilings in general tended to all mostly look identical, he couldn't immediately tell where he was, but he knew for sure that he wasn't in his own room in Camelot.

He was too comfortable, far too much, compared to his hard and clunky bed. He didn't want to go anywhere, and he could feel sleep attempting to claim him once again...

Forcing himself to sit up (which seemed, for some reason, to be quite a difficult task), he glanced at three barred wooden walls surrounding him, one at each side and the other in front. They were too high to try and climb out of, even if he had the strength to do so.

"Where am I? Is anyone here?" he tried to say, but all that emerged from his lips was an unintelligible garble that even he could not understand. He tried again, but with no change in speech. Something was very wrong with him.

Someone entered the room, and Merlin gasped as he saw just who it was.

_It's impossible... she's dead! I killed her!_

Of all people to come upon Merlin in such a weakened state, she had to have been the very last one he had ever expected.

"Nimueh!"

Having heard his cry, the sorceress immediately walked in his direction. Oddly enough, Nimueh seemed to be _smiling_ and what was even more extraordinary, she seemed to have grown at least ten times in size since their last encounter, and would most likely soon squash him like a bug.

She reached for him, and he screamed, but just as before what came from his mouth was not what he'd intended. Instead, he cried.

"Oh, please don't be sad!" said Nimueh, as she took him in her arms. "I know that you miss your mother but this is for the best, you're safe here!"

_I've gone completely insane, that's all there is to it._ thought Merlin. _Maybe I'm still lying where Morgause left me to die, a complete invalid. Yes, that must be it._

He didn't think he had lost his mind for very long, as he noticed something below as Nimueh was rocking him back and forth. The bed he had been sleeping in was in fact a _crib_, and while that was terrifying enough, what Nimueh said next went far beyond that.

"Be at peace, Morgause."

Merlin screamed, and this time it came exactly as intended.


	2. Morgause

Note: This story has spoilers up to _The Crystal Cave_ in Series 3, and is AU from that point on and for another obvious reason. This is a (very) weird idea that I've never read before, and as it sprang into my head I just had to write it down.

* * *

The years and seasons passed as she was raised and trained by several high-priestesses of the Old Religion, Nimueh among them. Morgause found that she could no longer hate the older woman anymore, for while many things she had done and had yet to do were very wrong, she sympathized in her plight and hatred for Uther Pendragon, having been responsible for the slaughter of many she had called friends.

She was still very young when she had met Queen Ygraine, who later became Arthur's mother at the cost of her own life. Morgause adored the woman and easily saw where her son had received all his best qualities from, even though he had never actually known her. Perhaps it was due to the nature of his creation, or it was a complete miracle blessed upon him. Either way, by knowing his mother, Morgause discovered a side of Arthur that she had never noticed before as Merlin, and was deeply saddened at her death.

Then the Great Purge began and she was taken to the Isle of the Blessed for her own safety, where she remained for quite some time. Though she knew how much Arthur cared for his father, she grew to hate the King of Camelot like nothing she had ever before. Most of her knowledge of the genocide in her past life came second-hand from Gaius, who she suspected of withholding some aspects in order to try and protect her, in his own way that he thought best.

But having lived though and experienced it herself, she had no compassion left in her heart for Uther Pendragon, and doubted that she ever would again.

One by one, her mentors were discovered and executed, until only she and Nimueh remained. By then, Morgause was old enough to make her own way in the world, and at Nimueh's suggestion she decided to do so. It was too dangerous to remain on the Isle of the Blessed any longer, and Nimueh assured her that she would be fine. Little did the high-priestess know that within ten very short years, she would be dead, and Morgause actually regretted that she could not tell her of her fate.

She had learned much about the very nature of magic itself, as well as many different and useful spells, and the proper knowledge and skill required to cast them with success. She had also been finely trained with the sword, and could more than hold her own against any man. When she had been Merlin, her only sources had been a spell-book given by Gaius that really wasn't all that useful (aside from saving Arthur from Valiant, and a few other situations), and a very reluctant Dragon that irritated her to no end.

For being the supposed most powerful warlock ever to have existed, Merlin had been pathetic.

She had over two decades of another life within her mind, a life she had once lived.

Morgause was Merlin, and Merlin was Morgause.

It had taken a long time to accept that she would spend the rest of her life as a woman, much less someone that she despised for constantly trying to bring the downfall of Uther Pendragon and one which harmed both her and her friends. For the first few months, before she could even speak properly, all she could do was think about everything that had happened. Her mind was the one thing that she had retained from her travel to the past.

She didn't know how Morgause (_me_, she thought) managed to send her soul into the past, but she remembered her saying something about a circle being completed. Eventually, she would do the very same thing to Merlin.

_I will complete the circle, some day. Magic does very strange things that cannot properly be understood, possibly ever. I just didn't jump into Morgause's body as an infant, I always was going to __**be**__ Morgause, for magic decreed it so._

One of her first adventures after leaving the Isle was to save a small village, far from the borders of Camelot, from a Griffin that regularly attacked the peasants and livestock. It had been a very simple task, but the joy and relief she saw on the faces of the people was well worth it, and she stayed that evening to attend a feast in her honor.

She had a bit too much wine.

_Ah, I guess that's something else that has not changed..._ she thought, her head throbbing as she awoke the next morning, having slept on a borrowed bed of one of the townspeople. She knew that she couldn't stay in one place for very long, not just because of the threat of Uther but also because she wanted to see more of the world, help more people in any way she could... before her time came.

One of her projects was trying to enchant a bracelet from the House of Gorlois, the very same bracelet that would eventually be given to Morgana to help her sleep. It wasn't quite so easy as she once thought it to be, and more than once she lost her temper at trying to do so.

But years later, having finally accomplished it, it was then time to go to Camelot.

She dreaded it, but was also very anxious for she would meet her sister for the second time.

Morgause knew that, in order for everything to happen as it did before, she would have to do very terrible things for the greater good. For the most part, Merlin and Arthur would stop most of them before much damage could be done, but it still sickened her. Despite being a vastly different person now, her overall mission given to her from Kilgharrah had not changed. Arthur would still end up on the throne and all Albion would be united, with magic returned to the land, and peace would reign.

Though she knew in advance that almost whatever she did against Camelot would fail, it didn't make it any easier, except when it came to Uther Pendragon. Because he would not and could not die before his time, sickly, pale and weak in his death bed, his suffering at her hands would only be all the greater.

She looked forward to the day when he would gaze upon the faces and hear the cries of those he had cut down with the sword, hanged, drowned, burned or decapitated with the axe, all due to an enchantment that would make use of his tears.

_I may not be able to kill you, Uther Pendragon, but you will pay for your crimes nonetheless. All because you could not accept the death of your wife, you blamed and hated all of us. I saw children whom I befriended run through with swords and lances just for associating with those with magic, while I was yet still a child **myself**. Because of you, Balinor and Hunith were not able to raise their son together. And in addition to all of this, I will never forgive you for what you have done to Morgana._

She had come to the realization that all had happened for a reason. With the training she had received from some of the wisest and most learned members of the Old Religion, with knowledge that would have been lost forever if she had not been taught it (she was the last bearer of it, all else who knew were dead, including Nimueh as of recent), she had become very powerful and skilled. One day, she would absorb Merlin's magic and become even more so. What Merlin lacked in knowledge and understanding, she lacked in power (compared to him, against anyone else she was unmatched).

Once the circle was complete, they would be one. She had been sent back in time, not by her future self, but by the very essence of magic itself, to learn everything possible that she had no chance to before, after which she would embrace her destiny as the _true_, complete Emrys, and there would be peace.

As for Morgana, she would take care of her as best she could. The younger woman needed family and support above all else, and Morgause would provide it, and eventually teach her sister how to control her magic. That was something she deeply regretted not doing the first time, even as she was hurting, crying and pleading for help. She should have _never_ listened to Gaius or the Dragon when it came to that, as well as many other things.

But she couldn't right away. No, there was the duel with Arthur to deal with first, which she knew beforehand she would win. She _never_ imagined defeating him by the sword in her former life, which brought a small smile to her face. For months, she had been viewing him from afar via an enchanted crystal, reminding herself of his great destiny to come.

"At least I can give this to you, Morgana." she said to herself, fingering the magical bracelet within her right hand. "At least you won't suffer the nightmares anymore, and will rest well."

Within months, she would also return to Camelot with the Knights of Medhir, and would be witness to her former self very nearly ending the life of her sister. This was also something she could do nothing about, but she knew she would survive and be tended by her hand, after which she would remain with her for about a year among others of their kind. She may have been the one who poisoned her, but she would be the one to save her. Morgana would be loved, for the first time since losing the man she had regarded as her true father, Gorlois.

Morgause truly hated keeping secrets about her former identity, and feared at how all would react once the circle was completed, especially Morgana and Arthur. It was a very strange tale, and it wasn't as if Merlin was truly dead, for he still lived in a sense within her. She remembered all the good times she had as Merlin while in Camelot, as well as the bad, and they were among her most treasured memories.

Having donned the disguise of a Knight to be able to enter Camelot without revealing her identity and gender until she was within the city to challenge Arthur, Morgause entered the gates to her destiny, for better or worse.

* * *

"I'm sorry for this, Merlin. But it has to be this way, you will soon understand why. I'm so sorry."

Morgause felt the last remnants of Merlin's magic fill her soul, which until that point in time had felt like a piece was missing. She was whole again, the familiar energy spreading throughout her body.

Merlin fell, lifeless, to the ground.

"It is done."

Morgana moved to help her sister up, but there was no need. Morgause, for some reason, looked happier than she had ever seen her before, and she didn't think it was because of Merlin's death.

Without speaking an incantation, she blasted a hole into the ground and then, quite gently, lowered Merlin's body within. She gazed upon him for a few moments, a few tears dripping from her face into his grave, before reaching down and removing his neckerchief and tied it around her _own_ neck, before magically filling the hole with dirt and causing grass and beautiful yellow and red flowers to bloom.

Morgana was... disturbed at Morgause's behavior, to say the least. Why was she showing so much sympathy for Merlin, and even _mourning_ for him? And the fact that she took his neckerchief made _no sense_! Something had gone very wrong.

Morgause, feeling the distress of her sister, approached her and gave her a hug, her eyes still being wet. It was finally over, and she only hoped that Morgana could accept the truth. Everything that she had worked for, in both lifetimes, was soon to be fulfilled in Camelot at Arthur's rise.

She hadn't killed Merlin, she _was_ Merlin.

"Morgana, in a few days the world as we know it is going to change. I don't know how either of us will be welcome in Camelot for what we have done, but I have faith that we _will_ be in time. The people may not know me, but they love _you_ and you have always belonged there whether you wanted to admit it or not. As for me, I must stand at Arthur's side, everything that has happened has led to this. I love you, my sister, and as I said before _I_ always will. I can only pray that you will understand."

Breaking from the hug, Morgana quickly replied to her sister. "At Arthur's side? After all the times you've tried to kill him, the times _we've_ tried to kill him? Granted, we stopped attempting it because he truly was the best choice for Camelot, seeing as Uther would never acknowledge me and I know I am not fit to be a Queen regardless, and will never be since I want to be _free_. You are completely delusional, and something must have happened to you when you were holding Merlin's hand! I think you need rest, Morgause."

"Morgana, I do not need rest!" yelled Morgause, perhaps a bit too angrily. She had anticipated that Morgana would not react well to her behavior. "And I am _not_ delusional in the slightest. All of Merlin's magical power is now mine, it has returned to its proper place. Now, let us return to my home and drink a glass of wine together at our victory tonight, for I know you have many questions. You may not, and most likely will not, like the answers you receive to them, but always remember that I am your sister and that I love you above all else."

Morgana, just like herself, didn't take to wine very well. It would be much easier to talk to her while they were joyful at its effects, as her temper would be much sedated. She remembered both of them once having a great laugh at Morgana's list of men that she found to be very attractive, the Knight Leon topping it. Having been at Camelot as Merlin far longer than Morgause, she remembered him very well and had caught him sneaking glances at Morgana and vice-versa. She teased her sister about his features, even though she shouldn't rightfully have known about them at all, but Morgana didn't notice her slip.

Having family was nice, but Morgause knew that a secret desire of Morgana was to raise a family with children of her own, and she earnestly hoped that would happen some day. She looked forward to her eventual nephews and nieces, and if they had magic she would teach them all she was able. Unlike Uther Pendragon's Camelot, they would be free to learn so and not be put to death for the crime of being born.

Perhaps Leon, or someone else in Camelot, would make Morgana's dream come true.

As for Morgause, her destiny stood with Arthur and Camelot, as it had before and would until the day she died. She wondered what she was going to say to everyone, how she was going to explain herself... especially to her other mother, Hunith. She hoped that she would still be able to call her mother. What had happened to her was so bizarre, so utterly and completely unimaginable even by the laws of magic, but it all happened for a reason.

She only hoped that Morgana, and later Arthur, could understand and accept her for everything both she and Merlin had done. She had faith that they would, and that was enough.


	3. Interlude: Thoughts Of A Witch

Note: This story has spoilers up to _The Crystal Cave_ in Series 3, and is AU from that point on and for another obvious reason. This chapter is set during the events of _The Tears Of Uther Pendragon_, and was originally a separate piece but I felt it was better to be combined with this story to make it fully whole.

Mordred, in this story, is _not_ related to Morgause or Morgana, no matter what the actual series may or may not reveal.

* * *

After leaving Merlin to his supposed death with magical chains and Serkets, Morgause suddenly felt very tired and needed rest for the upcoming invasion and siege against Camelot. She absolutely despised working with King Cenred, but it was something that _had_ to be done in a plan to ultimately weaken his kingdom. He was nothing more than a tool, albeit a crafty and powerful tool that she had to keep an eye on and control of. Left unchecked, he could possibly attack Camelot on his own given enough time to prepare his men and battlements, and not even the might of Arthur and the Knights of Camelot would stand against such brute force.

Also, in Morgause's mind, it was an opportunity of revenge against him for not sending support to the village of Ealdor in its time of need. Perhaps Will would not have died for her that day over thirty years ago if the King had.

Being a Dragonlord no longer, she could not sense Kilgharrah's presence but knew that he would soon be called upon. She wondered if, in time, she would receive those abilities back along with the rest of Merlin's magic, and if the Dragon knew the fact that she and Merlin shared one soul. Though he had been devious and manipulative in his wisdom, he was always ultimately correct in his visions of the future.

Either he _had_ known of her all along, or destiny had been rewritten to the point where several things he prophesied of would no longer happen. She thought back to her brief stay within the Crystal Cave, and what the crystals had shown her of possible things to come. One such vision was of Merlin as an old man, something of which was now impossible since the beginning of her journey, which started and would later end in the very same place she had just left Merlin.

Morgause didn't like to dwell on the Cave much, and it was probable that she would never step foot inside it again, but would live and deal with life as she was meant to. Predictions of the future were very untrustworthy in her experience, as evidenced by what she once did to Morgana by acting upon them... she had brought the events in question about when it would have been best to withhold from taking action, which nearly cost her sister her life and revealed her true parentage. It was even _more_ painful in knowing that Morgana would soon experience it all over again.

She feared the Dragon's words that Morgana and Mordred would be united in evil, and that the latter would eventually kill Arthur. Whether Mordred's descent into complete darkness was unstoppable or not, she would not let Morgana fall with him by all the will and power she possessed, even if she died trying.

Morgana became the most important person in her life, during the long year that she was 'kidnapped' from Camelot. Having never had a sibling before, whether during her early life, or her previous life as Merlin in Ealdor, it had turned out to be a most pleasant and wonderful experience that she had been blessed with. At first, she considered most of Morgana's care to be penance for the cruel acts she had done to her before as Merlin, but truly came to adore and love her as only one sister could to another. She helped her recover after her nearly-fatal poisoning, taught her the basics of Old Religion magic and how to control it, but most of all listened to everything she had to say.

Morgause hoped with all her heart that Morgana would find true happiness in the future to come. She deserved it after everything that had occurred and was yet to occur, especially in the months and years to come. It was a heavy burden to the older witch at knowing exactly what would happen, both to her sister and others she cared about, including Arthur, and looked forward to the day when she would be free of it.

Being a direct _cause_ of some of it was even worse, but she knew that it had to be done for the simple fact that she remembered her future self doing so, and one of the greatest rules of magic ever taught to her was that time was not something to be trifled with. As it was, she despised Camelot in its current form and its tyrannical ruler, and everything she did was to set a chain of events in motion that would lead to something far better in the long run.

Letting Arthur speak with Ygraine was indeed a great gift that Morgause truly wanted to give him, although she knew in advance that he would deny the vision of his mother and the circumstances of his birth. It was not Uther's destined time to die, but she was still enraged at how the King managed to avoid admitting the truth to his son, all thanks to Merlin convincing Arthur that everything was a lie.

Eventually, all would be revealed, and though she intended on standing by Arthur and Camelot when the proper time came, she would be able to live her life once more as she wanted. She missed being able to roam freely through the world as she desired, helping those in need, exploring the wonders of the forests and mountains, and being _still_ and growing deeper and better entwined with her magic as she once had.

Morgause and Merlin were two very different people with differing views, fighting on opposite sides but for the same overall goal. At times she had been truly angered and barely restrained herself from killing him, despite actually having once _been_ him long ago. What she had felt towards the young warlock after he poisoned her sister (who nearly died in her arms), and much more recently after capturing and binding him, was all too real.

Morgause realized long ago that she was Merlin no longer, and never would be again. She was who she was, and had been so for over three decades. The thought entered her mind that, if she ever wanted children of her own that she was going to be their _mother_, and to her surprise she did not think her desire to be an odd one at all. More than once she dreamed of holding a small boy or girl in her arms that she knew was her own son or daughter, and she had been more content than she had ever known for over fifty years spread over two lifetimes, until she had awoken in her bed. Within moments those feelings had faded back into nothingness, and reality had taken hold once more.

As long as Uther Pendragon lived, it was far too dangerous to bring children into a world filled with madness and hatred against those with magic, whether they were her own or those of someone else. She hoped that Morgana would find someone to love her and provide the family she cannot, for she had guessed that it was a desire of her sister even when she used to be Merlin. With Uther's rejection of her, and her overall broken family life, it was as if Morgana wanted a second chance in a way to make things right.

Between Morgana, Morgause, and whoever Morgana's husband would be, the children would be well loved and provided for by the three as Morgana never was.

As for Morgause, she knew that she was getting on in age but unlike non-magical women, she could halt her aging process extensively and be able to bear children for many years to come. It was a skill she had learned from Nimueh, who had used it on herself and was at least as old as Gaius, possibly even more. Because she had known what was good for her, she didn't pry the older woman for her true age. The one time she _had_ asked, she had been forced to muck out stables without the use of magic, and later laughed to herself as she realized that some things never changed.

After returning and retiring to her tent later that night, Morgause lifted the hawthorn staff that she would later give to Morgana in her hands. It was well crafted, made from a branch that she had taken from the Isle of the Blessed several months ago, along with other branches, flowers and herbs for other uses that had nothing to do with Camelot. Even though the city was her main focus and would be for the rest of her life, she still took whatever time she could to sneak away to other faraway places to aid those she could with her magic. Morgana knew of her activities, and at times accompanied her. It was during these journeys that they had bonded and Morgana learned of the many other uses of magic, all of which Uther Pendragon banned and also destroyed those who practiced them, which only intensified their hatred for him beyond what it had been before.

During one travel, they saved a small child from certain death after he had fallen in such a way as to break his neck. If the King knew of this, he would execute the child for the heinous crime of having his life saved by magic, and his parents for letting it be performed upon him. How could anyone think that such a horrible man was to be admired, or even _sane_?

Setting the staff down, she put all of her thoughts to rest and was about to do the same to her body. After all, she had a long day ahead of her tomorrow and needed both mind and body to be well-rested and alert.

Morgause knew that one day she would be able to truly rest and chase her dreams once again, but it always seemed to be just out of her reach, and so very far away.


End file.
